Revolutionizing Road Maintenance: The Game-Changing iPAVE Technology

South Australia is using cutting-edge technology to assess the condition of its roads and ensure better maintenance. The Intelligent Pavement Assessment Vehicle (iPAVE) is collecting vital road data across all state-maintained roads and highways. This data will help prioritize repairs and upgrades, making road maintenance more efficient. Developed in Denmark, the iPAVE technology is fitted to a truck and uses lasers and video cameras to assess road texture, condition, and bearing capacity while traveling at highway speeds. This allows for rapid data collection without the need for traffic control. The system provides insight into road surface conditions, including cracking, and uses ground-penetrating radar to assess structural conditions underneath. This enables maintenance crews to make faster, informed decisions on where works are needed most. The data obtained will also be used to assess the bearing capacity of the pavement, pinpoint areas at risk of failure, and guide long-term investment to improve safety. The iPAVE has already covered 2,500km out of 18,000km in South Australia, with further surveying planned in various regions. The survey is expected to be completed in April next year. This innovative system is part of the Minister for Regional Roads’ commitment to audit regional roads and meet local transport needs. The iPAVE technology has previously collected data across Australian and New Zealand roads, demonstrating its effectiveness in road maintenance.